Whatever
by Kraven Ergeist
Summary: What happens if, instead of shacking up with Misato, Shinji goes to live with Ritsuko? Shinji x Ritsuko :: CH 4 IS UP!
1. Chapter 1

**Evangelion Fan Fiction**

**Whatever**

By Kraven Ergeist

Chapter One

"He's incapable of piloting, sir."

If Ritsuko's words had affected the Commander, it certainly didn't show. Gendo Ikari looked back at her with the same dispassion with which he looked at just about everything.

In truth, Ritsuko was more than worried. Shinji had, for all purposes, blacked out in the midst of combat. If not for the unprecedented behavior of Unit 01, the fight would have been lost. If this was the way that all future Eva battles would be proceeding, Ritsuko could almost guarantee their failure. Not because Unit 01 couldn't handle it – it had proved itself worthy – but because Shinji couldn't.

She had seen his psych graph before and after the battle. A good description of his mental state before the battle was nervous to the point of terror. His mental state afterwards, Ritsuko thought bitterly, was firmly within the realm of 'warped.'

Ritsuko had known the man before her for the better part of eight years. While few could see it, his personality had its legible cues. She could tell when he was under pressure, and when he was truly calm. Right now, he was simply exuding confidence.

He was already confident that his son could do it, despite the proof she had just shown him. He wasn't even going to consider backing out. Despite what he knew it would do to him. His own son.

Before he even spoke, Ritsuko already knew any argument she made in the boy's favor would be shot down.

"Incorrect," the Commander replied. "As long as he is within the pilot seat, Unit 01 will be useful."

Ritsuko shook her head, flipping through the papers in her hand.

"His sync level is nominal, but his value as a pilot and combatant is next to nothing. He has no combat experience, no training – indeed, no desire or motivation to fight. If anything, Sir, he's a liability-"

"Did you not here me, Doctor?" Gendo said, not shifting at all where he sat. "It does not matter whether or not he can fight – just whether or not he can pilot. The Eva handles the rest. He is like a living dummy plug, Doctor, do you understand? He's the perfect tool for the task we need him for. Therefore, he shall remain here."

Ritsuko nodded, biting her lip. She was not about to win this argument, and she knew it. She could feel the deep resentment she had been developing for the man increase with every passing second. There was very little she could do to amend the situation whatsoever. Her authority only extended so far, even as Chief of project E. The only thing she really had a say in was…

"May I make a request, sir?"

Gendo nodded. "Go ahead."

Ritsuko spoke out before she could truly think about what she was proposing. "I am officially requesting permission to…keep a closer eye on him."

The Commander blinked. "Please clarify."

Ritsuko straightened up. "My residence has an extra room. With the Third Child's current demeanor, I doubt he would have any objections to living with me."

Gendo lowered his glasses. "You would have the Third Child stay with you?"

Ritsuko nodded. "Yes, sir. Since Rei has been with us since her childhood, we know her psychology inside and out. Shinji, on the other hand, is still a mystery. He would be under constant scrutiny, which I, as a scientist of NERV, would greatly benefit from, which in turn, would benefit us all. Is there a problem, sir? Do you doubt my intentions?"

The Commander paused. "Very well, Doctor. I'll be expecting a full report on the Third Child on my desk on a regular basis."

Ritsuko nodded to her superior as she left the office. Taking a great sigh, she bit her lip. What had she just gotten herself into? Boarding with Shinji would accomplish nothing. If anything, it would make her days more hectic, and the Commander wouldn't even bat an eyelash.

"I'm sorry, Shinji…" she breathed as she stepped down the halls of NERV. "I'm just trying to help. If I could have convinced the Commander that you weren't cut out for this, he would have sent you home, and you wouldn't have to face everything that comes next."

Staring, ruefully, back in the direction of the Commander's office, she spat. "He's not just a tool, he's your son. Does that mean nothing to you, sir?"

Needing no answer, Akagi continued down the hall.

xxxxx

"WHAT!" came a disbelieving gasp over the phone. "He's living with _you_!"

Ritsuko winced as the high pitch sounds emanated from the receiver of her cell phone. She had just filed out the final preparations for Shinji's residency, and was walking down the halls to pick him up.

"For psychological screening," she said, hesitantly. "It's also a convenient way to keep an eye on him."

She heard an exasperated breath of air from the other end. "Boy, when they say great minds think alike…"

Ritsuko paused her step. "What?"

"Nothing, nothing," Misato sighed. "You sure can pick 'em though, Ritsu."

The blonde woman made a face, even though it couldn't be seen. "And just what is _that_ supposed to mean?"

The sardonic laugh on the other line should have been expected, as well as the biting comment that followed it. "Please, Ritsuko, when's the last time you had a guy over at your apartment? Four years? Five? Now, after all this time-"

"Stow it, Misato," the blonde huffed. "I should have known someone like you would imagine doing perverted things with a teenage boy."

Ritsuko grinned proudly at Misato's feeble attempts to cover her ass after that remark.

"All joking aside," Misato quirked, "You think maybe he's up for this whole thing?"

Ritsuko turned a corner and slid her ID card over a scanner that let her through the next door. "Not at all, personally. But the Commander seems to think differently. Hopefully, in the time I'll have spent with him, I'll be able to better prepare him for the difficulties ahead of him. You saw his psych graph after the battle, Misato, even you know that those weren't healthy numbers."

The Captain had to agree. "Yeah, but on the flip side, neither are Rei's. She seems to be managing, albeit barely."

Ritsuko nodded to no one. "Yeah, but Rei's a special case and you know it. Shinji's a more or less ordinary boy suddenly thrust into this extraordinary world."

Misato hummed her agreement. "I wouldn't go so far as to say 'ordinary.' Talk to the boy, Ritsu, the kid clearly has issues to sort through."

Ritsuko nodded. "I'll do what I can."

xxxxx

She finally found the boy sitting out in the hallway of the hospital wing. She paused to observe him undetected, noticing the way he clenched his fist open and shut over and over again. She grimly noted that it was the same fist that had snapped on his Eva during combat. A nervous recourse, clearly. But the fighting was already over. Was he still remembering the battle?

Obviously.

Ritsuko shook her head and stepped over to him.

"Shinji…" she said in a gentle voice so as not to startle him.

The boy turned his head slowly towards her. "Doctor…Akagi?"

Ritsuko nodded. "Yes, that's me. You can call me Ritsuko or Doctor Akagi, it doesn't matter which."

The boy made no response.

The doctor cleared her throat. "Well, first I'd like to say how grateful we all are for what you did out there. A lot of innocent people will go on living because of what you did, Shinji. I know that you suffered a great deal, and I want you to know that it was not without benefit. I know that's a lot to take in, but please understand, we're asking you to do this for a reason."

"I know that, Doctor Akagi…" the young man replied, his stare verging on angry, thought not focused on her.

Ritsuko nodded. She changed the subject, not wanting to make an enemy of him this early. "There's…well, there's no other way to say this, so I'll just spit it out: I enrolled for you to stay with me for a couple months."

Shinji turned his face up at her and fixed her with a surprised look. "Why?"

Ritsuko could tell that he was testing her with that question. Not understanding why someone would vest that level of care in him, he was asking why she was bothering. She smiled, deciding to be honest. "If you want to know, it's so that we can learn more about you. You've spent so much of your life away from us, Shinji, and there's a great deal about you we don't understand. Like how you could have such a high sync ratio with no prior experience…anyway, the more we know about you, Shinji, the easier it will be. For us and for you."

Shinji nodded. "I understand."

"Also," Ritsuko said, trying to sweeten the deal. "My place is substantially nicer than anything NERV will enlist for you. It's just for a few months. At the end, if you want, you can move on out and into NERV housing, but for now, would you mind living with me?"

Shinji shrugged his shoulders and got to his feet.

"Sure. Whatever."

xxxxx

I'm not sure if this could be defined as typical or not, but I definitely wanted to have Shinji and Ritsuko living together in order to form a bond between them similar to the one between Shinji and Misato. Once at that level, a romance between the two won't be too hard to substantiate.


	2. Chapter 2

**Evangelion Fan Fiction**

**Whatever**

By Kraven Ergeist

Chapter Two

As promising as his sync rate had been, Ritsuko ceded, Shinji had a severe learning curve. While he could connect with his Eva with relative ease, Shinji simply couldn't seem to get a handle on fighting. He simply didn't have the edge, the mindset, the spunk, nothing that would be evident in a present day soldier. If Ritsuko had to guess what Shinji would do or be after graduating high school, she would have to either place him in the long list of salary men working in the city, a chef or an artist. The last thing on the boy's mind was fighting. He simply wasn't meant for combat.

_But that doesn't mean the Commander isn't intent on using him for just that…_ Ritsuko thought, ruefully. How the man she had admired for so long could be so heartless, even concerning his own son, was beyond her. Ritsuko fancied herself an intelligent woman, and rarely ran into issues she couldn't resolve. The inner workings of Commander Ikari's mind were just such an issue.

"Alright, Shinji, forget about maneuvering, and just concentrate on one thing at a time," Ritsuko chided, as Shinji stumbled yet again on his Eva's feet. "Just get your footing, target the center, and pull the switch."

Ritsuko could hear Shinji repeat the orders to himself, and sighed.

This was going to be harder than she thought.

xxxxx

Ritsuko lit a cigarette and took in a well-deserved puff.

"So, how's life living with the teenager?" her friend and colleague asked, sipping her beer.

Ritsuko stared down at her food, not knowing where she was going to fit it all. How Misato put away the quantities she did amazed her.

"Oh, he's well behaved," Ritsuko threw Misato a dirty look. "So, let me dispel any bizarre ideas you may be having."

Misato feigned offense. "Ritsuko, I'm hurt!"

The faux blonde blew another puff of smoke. "Right… Anyway, he's really helpful – he does more than his share of the chores. Once he figured out where everything goes, he started pitching in every day. Not only has it given me more time to concentrate on work, but now I come home to a clean apartment and a fresh cooked dinner every night"

Misato stuck out her tongue. "You lucky! I'm so jealous!"

Ritsuko smiled, looking back. It was nice living with Shinji. It was awkward having to knock on her own bathroom door, and always having to make sure she was wearing something appropriate was a bit of change. Although she was a couple of steps above Misato in terms of decency, there was a certain liberty in lazing around your apartment in nothing but your underwear. There was one incident during their fist week that Misato would not be finding out about. But overall, Ritsuko decided that she really didn't have to give up much, and she was definitely enjoying herself more with the boy around.

She had always wondered whether she would start to see Shinji as the child she never had. In a way, it was a little bit like that. They both ate breakfast in the morning. He went to school, while she went off to work. They'd sit down and eat dinner together, and help each other with the dishes.

In other ways, and Ritsuko avoided thinking this way, he was like this pet that she was keeping. He would answer her every command, always cringed like he had his tail between his legs whenever she frowned at him, and when she praised him, the look on his face…

Ritsuko shuddered. It wasn't healthy. It was like he was dependant on the opinions of everyone else. When other people said nice things to him, he always brightened up. When people scolded him, he acted like it was the end of the world. Of course, everyone was like this a to a certain extent, but with Shinji, it was so overblown, it happened instantaneous, and (this is what Ritsuko couldn't understand) he could shift almost without warning from happy to depressed with a simple comment. How his mood could be so volatile, she hadn't the foggiest idea. It was worse than a woman in the height of PMS – worse, because whenever he became angry or fed up, he always bottled it up rather than lash out. Even without her background in the field of medicine, Ritsuko knew that it couldn't be healthy.

"We never really talk…" Ritsuko thought out loud.

"Hmm?" Misato said, through a mouthful of ramen. "Isn't that what we're doing right now?"

Ritsuko shook her head. "No, I mean Shinji and I. We never talk."

Misato swallowed what was in her mouth. "Oh, we're still talking about him?"

Ritsuko pretended not to hear. "He always feeds me these noncommittal responses whenever I ask him how his day went or what's on his mind or what he likes or doesn't like. He hasn't once given me his opinion about anything – about what we eat, what channel we watch on TV, who does what chore, even which classes he takes at school…he just let's me decide things for him."

Misato shrugged, lounging her head on the tabletop. "Sounds to me like he just doesn't want to deal with the responsibilities his life calls for. A sure sign of not wanting to grow up."

Ritsuko threw her old friend a smirk. "You're one to talk."

"Hey, it takes one to know one," Misato winked back, not denying it. "But maybe you should…you know, sit down and talk with him."

Ritsuko raised her eyebrow. "Misato, I'm his physician…and I'm his piloting coordinator. We sit down and talk all the time. He treats me like just that – his doctor, his teacher, his boss…if I were to sit him down for a talk, even at home, he'd just treat it like one of those discussions. What I need from him is something more like…a heart-to-heart kind of talk…"

Misato raised her eyebrows. "So, is that the physician talking or the woman talking?"

Ritsuko threw her a foul glare. "I should have known you wouldn't understand, Misato…"

"I'm serious, Ritsuko," Misato piped. "Are you doing this because it's your job or because you genuinely care about him?"

Ritsuko bit her lip. She hadn't thought of that. She knew that she genuinely wanted to get closer to the Third Child, but did she want to get closer as a mother, a scientist…or a woman?

Misato stood up, stretching her shoulders. "So, if you're his physician, that means you've given him a physical exam, right?"

Ritsuko raised an eyebrow. "Yes…?"

Misato downed the rest of her Yebisu. "So…out of ten, how big would you say-?"

"Oh, stop!" Ritsuko giggled. "I swear, you've only got one thing on your mind, Misato!"

The two women shared a laugh, disposed their trash, and left the cafeteria.

"Well, I might suggest that you two try to do more fun things together," Misato offered. "But you'd probably think I was suggesting something naughty, and you probably wouldn't have time anyway."

Ritsuko sighed. "I'm sorry, Misato, I don't mean to criticize you. And yes, you're right, I should spend more time with him. I appreciate you listening to me."

Misato winked. "Hey, what are friends for?"

Misato turned away to head off to the bridge, when Ritsuko called out to her.

"A solid eight, by the way…"

Ritsuko suppressed a laugh as Misato practically fell over.

xxxxx

Ritsuko arrived home, unsurprised to find dinner made and the house neatly dusted and vacuumed. She also knew that the trash bags had been taken to the street and the laundry had been done and the grocery shopping for the week had also been completed.

Ritsuko sat down on the living room couch, wishing for another cigarette (She had made an unspoken promise not to smoke around Shinji when at all possible – keeping it to her room or the balcony). Shinji was beyond "well trained house pet" at this point. He was acting like a regular stay-at-home husband.

Ritsuko flushed, distancing her mind from that last thought.

"Shinji?"

The boy opened his door, glancing out. Ritsuko could see his schoolbooks laid open on the desk she had provided for him.

"Yes, Doctor Akagi?"

Ritsuko pursed her lip. "Shinji…you've been living with me for weeks. Surely, you've known me long enough to call me by my first name?"

Shinji inclined his head. "I'm sorry…"

Ritsuko sighed. "Shinji…if don't start opening up to people, you'll find it more and more difficult later on. Trust me – I was a bit of a recluse when I was younger. I was only in my college years when I started to make any friends. And now Misato's the only real friend I have."

Shaking her head, Ritsuko realized how one-sided this conversation had become.

"What I'm trying to say is…I know that I'm your physician and your piloting coordinator…but that doesn't mean I can't also be your friend."

Shinji frowned, looking away. "It's kind of tough to work three jobs at once, Doctor Akagi…"

Ritsuko flinched. He had a point. It would be hard for the boy to trust someone who reported his every action to the very man he hated.

"I'm willing to try, Shinji," Ritsuko stood up, unperturbed. "You've been doing more than your fair share since you came here – it's only fair that I try to make an effort for your sake."

Shinji nodded, walking back toward his room. "Alright…whatever…"

Ritsuko bit her lip. This was going to be a _lot_ harder than she thought.


	3. Chapter 3

**Evangelion Fan Fiction**

**Whatever**

By Kraven Ergeist

Chapter Three

Ritsuko gritted her teeth. She was furious! She hadn't been expecting much from the boy, but surely he could have done better than this! After freezing up in the middle of the battle, what did Shinji do? He disobeyed a direct order and allowed two civilians into the entry plug, jeopardized the stability of the entry plug as well as its test data, before putting himself, his Eva, and with it, the fate of the entire world at stake! Had he gleamed _nothing_ from their weeks of training procedures? What use was a pilot who did the complete opposite of what it was you wanted him to do?

She was about ten paces away from strangling the kid, when a familiar face stood between her and a much-needed outlet for her to vent on.

"Hold on, Ritsuko," Misato, facing her. The waiting room, and more importantly, Shinji, lay behind her. "I know just what you're thinking."

Ritsuko glared back at her. "Do you? That pathetic excuse for a pilot nearly ruined years of research _and _nearly brought about the destruction of humanity! That about cover it?"

Misato stood calmly. "Listen to yourself – you're angry. What Shinji did was treasonous, but yelling at him for it isn't going to solve anything."

Ritsuko crossed her arms. "Are you telling me how to raise my charge?"

Misato nodded. "It's precisely because he's _your_ charge that your words will impact him so greatly. In any case, _I'm_ his field commander, _I'm_ the one who should be furious."

Ritsuko fixed her friend with a hard stare. "Then why aren't you?"

Misato closed her eyes. "Had that been Rei out there, the proceedings of today's battle would have baffled me. But Shinji is not Rei. He is not a military trained army brat who follows orders in cold blood. He is, for all intents and purposes, still a civilian."

Ritsuko glared. "He doesn't have the luxury of being a civilian, Misato. He's the pilot of Unit 01! The only one we've got!"

Misato sighed. "And he's also a 14 year old boy. He didn't know what to do. All he knew was that two of his classmates were in trouble. He did the only thing he could think of doing to protect them. For someone in his position, Ritsuko, the move was pretty impressive."

Ritsuko bit her lip. "So that's why you authorized it…" She shook her head. "I need to think this through, Misato. You can tell Shinji that he can go home now."

Misato nodded. "One more thing – I wouldn't be surprised if Shinji tries running away because of this."

Ritsuko nodded back. "You heard about his fight at school too, huh?"

Misato tried to smile. "All of NERV does."

Ritsuko laughed, bitterly, turning to go. "Such a caring line of work we devote ourselves to…"

Misato sighed. "As a good friend of mine would say…we don't have the luxury of being caring…"

Ritsuko didn't respond.

Watching her old friend walk off, Misato hoped to whatever gods were still listening that things would still be all right between the blonde and the small boy in the room adjacent.

xxxxx

By the time Shinji saw Ritsuko again, it was already dark. He was inside her apartment, and he could smell cigarette smoke on her, as well as some other scent that he suspected was alcohol. He wasn't going to ask her about it, of course. He hardly ever spoke to her unless spoken to.

They ate dinner quietly, Ritsuko offering her appraisal of the meal with pleased hum. Afterwards, they settled in front of the TV as they usually did, Shinji idly reading a schoolbook.

"I heard about the incident at school today," Ritsuko said out of the blue.

Shinji put down his book. "Huh?"

Ritsuko shook her head. "Even after he hit you twice in the face, you still disobeyed a direct order to save his life."

Shinji flinched. "Oh…I'm sorry…"

Ritsuko shook her head again. "Don't be. I'm the one who should be sorry, Shinji. Making an ordinary boy like you do something like this is inexcusable. But it's made me realize something…"

Ritsuko fixed Shinji with a caring smile.

"You're not a soldier. I can't expect you to behave or to react like one. So I'm not angry at the way you handled the battle today, Shinji. Anyone else in your situation would have gladly fled. Anyone else in your situation wouldn't have bothered to save those two when their own life was at such risk. For someone in your position to risk themselves like that…"

Shinji flinched as Ritsuko placed a hand on his shoulder.

"I just wanted you to know how proud I am of you, Shinji," Ritsuko said with a smile. "Maybe…maybe you're not such an ordinary boy after all."

Shinji looked up at her with a bashful expression on his face.

"Uh…th-thank you…Ritsuko…"

Ritsuko let out a giggle. "You finally called me by my first name, Shinji…"

She laughed even more when he blushed after that. Letting him get back to his book, Ritsuko fixed her attention on the screen in front of her. Her anger had abated, and in retrospect, Misato was right – she needn't have been angry to begin with. Quite the contrary, the events of the day seemed to have brought them even closer together.

Not only had he used her first name, but that was the first conversation they've had where Shinji hadn't ended it by saying "Whatever."

xxxxx

The next week, Ritsuko received a call from the Commander, asking her to speak with him immediately. Swallowing her tongue, Ritsuko ventured across Central Dogma to his wide brimmed office, the Sephirothic System sealing its roof.

"Doctor Akagi," the Commander spoke out, his attention diverted. "You haven't submitted this weeks report on the Third Child."

Ritsuko nodded. "No, I have not."

Gendo waited for her to explain, before deciding that she needed to be prompted.

"Why haven't you?"

Ritsuko shook her head. "There was nothing to report, sir."

A frown and a creased brow were all that marked the Commander's face.

"Nothing to report?"

Ritsuko nodded. "The Third Child's actions haven't varied since his arrival. He works like clockwork – awake at six, showers, prepares breakfast, eats it, leaves for school, arrives home at four, does housework till six, prepares dinner, eats it, and does homework until he goes to sleep at eleven. If I didn't know better, sir, I'd equate his behavior with that of the First Child."

She saw the dark haired man raise an eyebrow at this. "A foreseeable comparison. Very well. Be sure to report on any variation from this train of activity."

Ritsuko nodded. "Very well. If there is nothing else…"

Ritsuko saw a knowing glint of in his eye. "Since the Third Child doesn't seem to be hindering you, would you be available for dinner tonight?"

Ritsuko stiffened. She had always taken him up on such requests in the past. The "dinner," of course, never really lasted very long.

"I'm afraid that the Third Child doesn't account for _all_ my duties, Sir," Ritsuko said, unblinkingly. "I'll have to take a rain check."

Gendo nodded, seemingly unaffected by the refusal. "Very well. Attend to your priorities then. Dismissed."

Ritsuko nodded and turned to go.

Once behind the steel door, she let a shiver go down her whole body.

That man…

How had she ever felt _anything_ for that man? Gods, what had seemed to her in the past as smooth, elegant and mysterious was now prude, arrogant, snobbish and downright horrendous! The very thought of _touching_ him now felt…

Ritsuko felt another shiver go down her spine.

At least now she wouldn't have to report on any of Shinji's activity. She had no doubt that her apartment was bugged in any case. It had simply felt dishonest to be reporting on him when he was living with her under his own free will. It was the least she could do.

Retreating to her office, she lit another cigarette and puffed it. A second later, she decided to take the rest of the day off. She usually enjoyed herself when she was at home. At least there she had someone to talk to, even though Shinji wasn't all too talkative.

Still, it was pleasant just to be with him.

Ritsuko pulled on her coat and headed out towards to the parking lot. By the time she made it home, she could smell dinner cooking, and the place looked better kept than it had ever been.

Ritsuko sighed, contently.

Pleasant and how.

"I'm home," she announced, removing her coat.

Shinji greeted her with a smile that looked almost relaxed. "Welcome home…you're, um…you're early…"

Ritsuko shooed away her cat as she slithered between her legs. "Felt like taking a breather. And NERV cafeteria lunches can't hold a flame to your home cooking."

Shinji blushed at the compliment. "I'm…glad you like it…"

Ritsuko sighed. Same old stay-at-home husband routine.

"Tell you what, Shinji," she stepped over to him. "I'll cook. It's about time I did _something_ useful around here."

Shinji reluctantly stepped away from his pan. "Oh, well…it's almost done…I just thought…"

"Then it should be a no-brainer for me," Ritsuko waved him off. "Now be a dear and set the table while I tend to this."

Shinji stepped away from the stove, leaving his pan at the mercy of Ritsuko's cooking skills. Five minutes later, Ritsuko was serving something that may have once been stir fry, though now it more resembling something akin to charcoal. Though Shinji would never say it, he'd never seen _anyone_ ruin food as quickly as Ritsuko had just then.

"I…think you left it on the burner a little too long, Ritsuko…"

The older woman groaned. "Alright, alright, I get it, I get it…cooking just doesn't seem to be my calling…"

Shinji crunched on the charcoal. "No, no…it's good…"

"You don't need to sugarcoat it, Shinji," she groaned. "Just get back in there and fix something edible. And if I ever volunteer to help you prepare food again, you can lock me out of the kitchen for life. You have my permission."

Shinji decided she was trying to be funny and laughed. Or tried to.

He came back with some miso soup and some rice. Ritsuko sighed. Not as satisfying as stir fry, but she only herself to blame for the lack of that particular food item.

"So, seeing as we both have the day off…" Ritsuko said (though Shinji's school had Sunday's off, NERV was not so generous to it employees) deciding to take Misato's earlier advice to heart. "Why don't the two of us go out and do something? I could show you around town, go to the park, get some fresh air…you know, get to know one another a little better?"

Shinji didn't seem too impressed with the idea. "Um…if you want to…"

Ritsuko frowned. What was this boy, her chamberlain? Did he refuse to do _anything_ unless somebody else desired it?

"What would _you_ like to do, Shinji?" Ritsuko asked, leaning over the table to stare at him.

Shinji nearly crippled under her intense gaze. His subconscious mind had picked a wonderful time to suddenly decide to see Ritsuko as an attractive woman.

As for said woman, she sat back down after a few seconds, defeated, resuming her meal in silence.

It looked like it was going to be another boring day sitting around…

"I, uh…" Shinji spoke up.

Ritsuko looked up.

"I…I like the sea…" Shinji managed to get out, before retreating back into his blush.

Ritsuko blinked, staring at him. He ventured no more than that, but the words had already been said.

Was her mind playing tricks on her?

Had Shinji just volunteered an opinion?

Deciding not to look a gift horse in the mouth, Ritsuko got up to pack a small bag.

"The sea it is…"


	4. Chapter 4

**Evangelion Fan Fiction**

**Whatever**

By Kraven Ergeist

Chapter Four

What could have possibly possessed Ritsuko to think taking Shinji to the sea was a good idea was beyond her. Maybe it was the fact that he had finally ventured an opinion for the first time since she'd known him. Not wanting to let it go to waste, she latched onto his suggestion, packed up a picnic, started up her car and the two of them drove out to the beach.

Ritsuko was a scientist. She prided herself on her ability to think outside of the box. But it was the little things inside the box that sometimes escaped her awareness. So really it was no surprise that it only occurred to her as she was removing the outer layer of clothing, leaving only her blue bathing suit, that maybe this wasn't the best idea.

Shinji's face was the envy of garden-fresh-tomatoes across the world. Ritsuko's bathing suit was pretty conservative by most standards. But skintight was skintight, and it didn't take much for Shinji's mind to paint a fairly accurate picture of what her body looked like without it on.

Ritsuko honestly felt sorry for the boy, but more than that, she felt like an utter fool. What was she doing out here? At Shinji's age, he should be going to the beach with friends his own age, not thirty-year-old female coworkers that happened to be living under the same roof with him. She felt utterly indecent in hindsight.

"Do you…" Ritsuko treaded lightly. "Want anything to drink?" she motioned to the cooler, which she had filled with soda, bottled water, and a few beers for herself.

"I'm…fine…" Shinji's eyes were fixed on the muddy sand at their feet. Though it was a gorgeous day, the beach was not exactly picturesque. It only extended a few meters from road to water, and the sand was rocky and a dull brown color. The wind was nice, but there was no one else around. Aside from the beach towel and picnic lunch Ritsuko had brought along, the only exciting thing on the beach (besides Ritsuko herself, the boy noted nervously) was the car they had driven in.

Shinji wasn't feeling terribly enthusiastic. He was just glad his thick swimming trunks covered any…obvious hints of his awareness of his guardian.

Ritsuko had on a pair of sunglasses, and was soaking in the sun, trying to make the most of the situation. Regardless of her contemptuous self-loathing at having put Shinji in this position, this _was_ her day off, and she was determined to enjoy it. And as conscious as she was of the boy, a part of her mind was content to let him stew in his own hormonal discomfort and enjoy herself.

It's not like he was going to try anything on her. He simply wasn't the type – she didn't need a PhD to biology to know that. At worst, he'll get back in the car and wait until she was satisfied and drove home. At best…well, he might actually sit down and join her.

If only things were so simple.

"Hi!"

Ritsuko stared up and realized that there was a second car parked next to her own. A blue Renault Alpine, laden with dents and parts held together with what looked to be duct tape.

_How in the world…?_

She looked up to confirm her fears – Misato, in revealing black two-piece suit, sauntering over from her car. And was that…Maya!? She'd dragged Maya long too?

"What are you two doing here!?" Ritsuko gasped in astonishment.

Maya seemed embarrassed to be seen in her thin one-piece, especially next to Misato's voluptuous one, but she answered Ritsuko evenly.

"Hyuga and Aoba are taking care of things at NERV," she said, her face almost as red as Shinji's. At the thought, Ritsuko turned her head to see Shinji's face nearly melt off as he stole one glance after another at the scantily clad women that now surrounded him.

Dear Gods, what was she putting him through?

"How did you know we were out here?" was all Ritsuko could ask.

"Please…" Misato shrugged off the question as she planted a beach umbrella in the sand. "This is NERV. You honestly expect them _not_ to know where you and Shinji are at all times?"

Ritsuko's jaw was hanging slack. "And the Commander just…let you two leave your posts?

Misato helped herself to one of the beer's in Ritsuko's cooler after she'd laid down a beach towel of her own next to where Shinji was sitting, effectively putting him between her and Ritsuko. "Like we were gonna let a little thing like personal responsibility to keep us from a day at the beach…" she gave Shinji a knowing wink. "Especially when it's with such a cute guy."

Shinji measured the distance to the car, and wondered if he could make it if he ran.

"Misato…" Ritsuko frowned. "Stop teasing him. It's bad enough that you're wearing something like _that_ without rubbing it in his face." She pointed accusingly at the black bikini that encompassed her bosom.

Misato wondered at the possibilities of taking that pun too far, but decided instead to strike a pose. "Like it? Got it for a steal at thrift store. Got a discount just by batting my eyelashes."

Ritsuko pinched the bridge of her nose. "For the love of God…"

Maya was kneeling next to Shinji, asking him if he wanted to go for a swim. While he wasn't inclined to take her up on her invitation, it did draw his attention away from the sight at hand, as well as provide him with a way to get out from between the two arguing beauties.

Without a word, he got to his feet, walking rather hurriedly towards the shallows.

"Hey, wait…" Maya called, running after him. It was easy to keep pace with him, but he was utterly ignoring her. Maya wasn't terribly familiar with the boy – she had sensed his discomfort and had simply asked him to go for a swim to allow him to catch his breath and cool off. Why he was dashing off in the direction of the water like his life depended on it was beyond her, and Maya felt suddenly like she'd tipped the scales on someone she didn't fully understand.

Shinji's feet touched the water, and still he ran.

Maya put one foot in the water and instantly recoiled. "Cold!"

Shinji kept running, his mind lost in a state of panic. Vaguely he heard shouts from behind him. Maya's voice, Ritsuko's…

Then he tripped on a sharp rock, cutting his ankle, and he fell face first in the shallow water, hitting his face and cracking his nose on the hard sand at the bottom of the pool, and he could remember not being able to breath until arms wrapped around him, and suddenly a bright light.

He felt like he was being carried by someone and then he was laid on his back, and the bright light faded as the umbrella shielded his face from the sunlight.

He felt pain in his face, he couldn't breath through his nose, and his ankle ached and throbbed. He could hear voices speaking softly but urgently, calling his name.

A hand on his cheek…

"Shinji?"

His eyes opened, and Ritsuko stared down at him. Her eyes were tense, focused, serious. She looked angry, almost, though not at him. He could see her sigh with relief.

The pain in his nose subsided as she gently laid an ice-cold cloth over his nose.

"Maybe taking you out here wasn't such a good idea…" he heard her say, then she looked at the others, who had gathered around, worriedly. "Though I'm sure you two weren't exactly making things easy on him. You know how self conscious he is."

He saw Misato and Maya with guilty looks on their faces, and Ritsuko turned down to place another icy cloth around his ankle.

"Keep these pressed to the parts where it hurts," she advised. "It'll reduce the swelling."

Then, with a surprising amount of strength, she lift him up again (though he couldn't have weighed more than a sack of potatoes) and deposited him into the back seat of her car, where Maya had obligingly held the door open.

Finally, he spoke. "R…Ritsuko…?"

"Hmmm?" she leaned over to peer at his face, and all once, he was intoxicated by her, and he felt his nose bleeding all over again.

He looked away.

"I'm sorry…"

She shrugged off the apology. "Not your fault. Though Misato can be kind of severe sometimes, she's not so much of a threat that you have to run away in such a panic. Next time, just calmly ask for some space, and I'll make sure she gives it to you."

Ritsuko was aware of the fact that she herself was part of the problem, and quickly pulled her outer clothes over her bathing suit. Shinji's blush still didn't go away. Maybe it was just the broken nose.

She wondered.

"Let's get you home so I can apply some decent treatment," she decided, and after a few hurried goodbyes to Misato and Maya, she started the car and drove off down away from the sea and back to Tokyo-3.

xxxxx

Shinji was sitting back on the couch in Ritsuko's living room, two tissues protruding from his nostrils, stained red with blood. Ritsuko herself was busy wrapping a dull beige bandage and some gauze around his foot.

"Your nose should be fine," she said, in full doctor mode. "You might have a black eye, but nothing permanent. You've got a sprained ankle though, so you should stay home from school tomorrow. I'll put your sync tests on hold for the time being as well."

Shinji couldn't meet her eyes. It wasn't the first time the doctor had examined him like this, but it was the first time she had done it in little more than a bathing suit and a lab coat. Though, in hindsight, this was the exact outfit he had first met her in.

"Th-thank you…" he muttered, still blushing.

Ritsuko's expression softened as she saw his own. "Oh, don't feel so bad about this…according to your medical history, you've had less than half the average bumps and bruises that most kids your age have had by this point in their life. They've got to catch up to you somehow."

Ritsuko opted to make dinner that night. Shinji offered to take care of it, sitting in a chair by the stove, but Ritsuko wouldn't hear it.

"Come on, Shinji, I've managed by myself for years without you," she insisted. "One night won't kill me."

Thirty minutes later, Ritsuko was eating those words, as was Shinji, though he gulped down the dry rice and watery miso without complaint. Ritsuko heaved a sigh.

"I've grown so dependant on you…" she mused, half joking. "I remember a day when I could actually _do_ things on my own."

Shinji looked up from his dinner plate. "You, um…you're the one who pulled me out of the water…right?"

Ritsuko looked up, wary. "Yeah?"

Shinji swallowed hard, before returning his gaze to his dinner.

"Th-thank you…"

Ritsuko blinked at him, watching him nervously pick through his food, evidently aware of her keen gaze on him as he ate, which only served to make him more nervous.

She didn't know whether he had pointed it out to prove that she could do things on her own that he could not, or just to thank her. Either way, the comment had touched her.

"You're welcome…"

They finished eating and Ritsuko helped Shinji as he limped to his room, smiling despite herself as he blushed all along the way. It was flattering to have someone get so shy around her, even if he was the fourteen-year-old progeny of her sadistic boss. She appreciated him all the same.

"Goodnight Shinji…"

She turned off the lights and closed the door.

He was already asleep.


End file.
